Johannesburg, May 25 (IANS): Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman and commissioner Lalit Modi said the Twenty20 Champions League has been provided a slot in the International Cricket Council's (ICC) calendar.
"The Champions League has already been slotted in the ICC's FTP (Future Tours Programme). IPL and other domestic tournaments around the world have to find their own windows. We haven't asked for an FTP commitment as far as that is concerned.
"For an international tournament of this magnitude and this quality, we are working with all the member countries and the ICC and we have together come out with the dates of the Champions League to benefit everybody," Modi was quoted as saying in the IPL official website Monday.
Twelve teams will contest in the inaugural Champions League Twenty20 (CLT20) tournament to be played in India from Oct 8-23.
The tournament will feature three teams from India (The Royal Challengers, Deccan Chargers and Delhi Daredevils), top two domestic T20 teams from South Africa, England, Australia and the domestic T20 Champions from New Zealand, West Indies and Sri Lanka.
The inclusion in the FTP means that top players will be free of international duties and will be available for the tournament.
The ICC is also under pressure from its member countries to include the hugely popular Indian Premier League (IPL) in the FTP.
More and more players have said that they will not play international tours during the lucrative and short T20 tournament.
West Indies captain Chris Gayle was under fire for overstaying in IPL and arriving late for the Test series against England.
The CLT20 was scheduled to start in India last year, but was postponed because of Mumbai attacks.
"This year it's in India," he said.
"Once we have the first inaugural season in India, we will take it forward, many countries have invited us already to take the tournament to their country. For example, South Africa has invited us to bring the tournament here next year. But we are going to examine, all these things after the first year."